The Legend of Death BedEd Wood Meets Christopher GuestWhat happens when a legendary cult horror film that’s no one has ever seen is adapted to a live stage play? In 1973 George Barry made his only feature length film, Death Bed: The Bed That Eats. Shot at the end of his college career with a motley crew of some students, a few friends and a couple of film professionals, it has achieved cult status as the movie never seen. Because Barry couldn’t get a distribution deal, or so he thought. By 1977 Barry and Ron Medico, the film’s editor, had cut together enough of the film to start looking for a distributor. No one would bite. With the rise of home video, Barry pursued the possibility of a straight to video release. One of the video distribution houses he sent the print to declined to make an offer, but unbeknownst to him, copied the print and released it on video in the UK. While the print they returned to Barry languished in his attic, the video release in the UK went on to become much appreciated as a classic of the 70’s horror genre. Rumor has it that sometime in the 90’s a bad Spanish language dub was made. It was so laughable that it soon became the Rocky Horror of Spain: people would show up in costume for mid-night screenings and talk back to the screen. But Barry still knew none of this. By accident, trolling the internet late one night in 2001, Barry stumbled upon a thread in a film forum. He was shocked to discover that the movie languishing in his attic had been pirated and was an underground hit in Europe! As a result of this discovery, Barry was finally able to secure the first official release of the film: a DVD of Death Bed: The Bed That Eats in 2004. In 2014 it came out on Blue-Ray, so people can now enjoy it in high-def. The making of “Legend of Death Bed” owes a great debt to comedian Patton Oswalt. He is personally responsible for introducing legions of fans to Death Bed. On his stand up album “Werewolves and Lollipops” he has a bit about how tough it is to get movies made – but it is just crushing for him that someone put money into Death Bed: The Bed That Eats, yet he can’t get his movies made. Oswalt’s plea touches the heart of creative people everywhere, but for Gwenyfar, it was particularly personal. Oswalt goes on at great length about the guy who built The Bed: the sacrifices he must have made for this vision, missing out on spending time with his son, who grows up to resent him. “….and his dad’s going ‘you know what? He’ll finally understand when he sees Death Bed: The Bed That Eats People.” Gwenyfar knows the guy who made The Bed eat, so when she heard Oswalt’s routine she turned to Jock Brandis, the film’s gaffer, Bed builder, and cast member, and said: “Oh my god sweetheart! He’s talking about you and Darwin!” Jock, who has always had a good sense of humor about himself, just laughed and laughed. Brandis worked on the film before moving from Canada to Wilmington, and his son, Darwin, was actually the one to introduce Oswalt’s Death Bed material to Jock. But a bigger surprise awaited Brandis: shortly after the DVD release of Death Bed, almost 40 years after principal photography wrapped, Barry sent a check for equipment rental on the film. In late 2013 Gwenyfar found herself engaged in a conversation with Steve Vernon, Artistic Director for Big Dawg Productions about an upcoming Halloween Horror Play Festival and the possibility of adapting Death Bed to the stage. “Well,” Gwenyfar pointed out, “At least we know the guy who can build The Bed!” Vernon and Gwenyfar worked on a structure for the show, deciding that the stories from the making of the movie were fascinating, and essential to fleshing out the plot arc. In addition to the “Live now in 3D!” version onstage will be the story of the Detroit whorehouse and the Gideon Bible, and how three Canadians smuggled a human skeleton across an international border. And don’t forget the “guidelines” for building a Bed That Eats: first buy all the Mr. Bubble available in the greater Detroit area. Gwenyfar’s original script of George Barry’s Death Bed will come to life at Big Dawg’s Cape Fear Playhouse in October 2014 for the Halloween Horror Festival. Verrnon will direct and Jock Brandis is helping to recreate The Bed. The full cast will be announced in September.Show dates: October 23 - November 2 at The Cape Far Play House